Moments of thin peace
by Shannon C. Redfield
Summary: One-shot  Nellis! After waking up in the dead of night, Nick finds Ellis asleep next to him...and suddenly wants more then a simple "night-cap." Enjoy! No flaming, please!


**WARNING: **Contains adult scenes, if you don't like it then TURN BACK! THIS IS NOT FOR YOU! Only meant for the real Nick x Ellis fans out there-including me!

**DISCLAIMER: **Valve owns these wonderful boys, not I. But I do however, own this story. So...bite me!

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><p>Nick woke late into the night.<p>

He never heard Ellis come into the room, nor did he feel him slip into bed next to him. Right now the young man was sleeping, cuddled as close to Nick as he could possibly get. At first Nick was startled when he realized someone was next to him. Until he heard Ellis's familiar snoring and smelled the scent of his hair, did he calm down and breathe in a sigh of relief that, yet again, he was able to enjoy the pleasure of his company.

Nick just stared.

It was hard to see the snoring young prince in the darkness of the room, but once his eyes adjusted, it wasn't too hard to make out his shape. The sight of seeing Ellis always filled Nick with inner peace…especially at night, where times just like this, he wouldn't have to worry about making sure the young man was right behind him when the moment became too intense, or when he got grabbed onto or scratched, that it wouldn't bring the end of his life—Ellis was growing up quickly and had proved time and again that he was capable of taking care of himself. Here—late at night and in the same bed—Nick was able to provide him with his own type of protection.

Deep down he knew Ellis was still a brash young boy; always eager to handle and fire a weapon at anything that was considered a threat. Sometimes the man inside of him would come out and prove to the world that he was just as badass as the rest of them and it was that inner strength that had attracted Nick. Other times he was just down-right annoying—but who could blame him? Nick loved him all the same.

He propped himself up on an elbow, careful not to wake him. He was thankful for the darkness the room provided. Over the last couple of days, Ellis had obtained two noticeable bruises next to his left eye and a nice scratch on his right cheek. He hated to see the kid get beat-up. Nick reached out and gently traced his fingers along Ellis's face; starting from his forehead and down his temple, behind his ear and down his neck. Ellis twitched in his sleep. The movement made Nick smile. He leaned forward and lightly placed a kiss on his forehead. This made Ellis stir.

Hungry now for attention, Nick continued to plant kisses all over Ellis's face. When he reached his lips did he lean into him more. Ellis responded by kissing him back. Nick snuck his arm under the kid's neck and gently made him lay onto his back, kissing him still. Slowly, Nick soon found himself moving on top of him completely, spreading Ellis's legs and noticing his other half was only wearing boxers. Nick, who only wore his underwear and blue shirt to bed, found this to be very arousing. Their bare chests touched since Nick's shirt wasn't buttoned and Ellis snuck his hands into Nick's shirt, feeling his back and digging his fingers into his skin.

The feel of their growing arousals rubbing against each other brought a pleasuring moan from Ellis, which then turned into spine-tingling numbness when Nick attacked his neck with his mouth and tongue. Ellis wrapped his legs around Nick's waist and arched his back, sucking in air through his teeth and breathing harder, moaning.

Nick brought his head up and looked at Ellis. "How badly do you want me?" he asked, licking his lips. To emphasize his question, he slowly began to rock his hips against Ellis's. The young man responded by tightening his grip around Nick's waist. "Ellis?"

A hand came out from Nick's shirt to touch his face. "I want all of you," Ellis replied breathlessly, a near-whine present in his voice. His cock throbbed against Nick's which made the older man shudder with delight. "No condoms…jus' you."

It was all the motivation Nick needed. He kissed Ellis's hand and sat up to take off his blue shirt, until Ellis unwrapped his legs from Nick's waist and sat up with him, kissing him and rubbing his hands all over Nick's chest and neck. Slowly he took Nick's shirt off and ran his hands down his shoulders and arms…admiring the way his muscles felt. Nick allowed this to go on for several moments longer; enjoying the feel of Ellis's lips against his own, especially when he started to attack his neck the way Nick did to him. Kissing downwards and along his chest, then licking him straight back up again—stopping under his chin. Nick playfully shoved Ellis back down and grabbed the top of his boxers, pulling them off as Nick slid off the bed, then took off his own underwear before climbing back onto the bed.

He re-spread Ellis's legs and lifted his knees up, rubbing them tenderly. "Ready for me?"

Ellis didn't hesitate. "I want you, Nick."

Nick quickly shoved himself into Ellis, making him gasp with surprise since he never bothered to lube himself. Nick spread his own legs out and shoved deeper into the young man, making Ellis gasp a little louder. He searched for his partners face and found that his cheeks were wet from crying. Nick was about to pull out when Ellis stopped him. "I didn't mean to hurt you like that," he apologized, wiping away the tears. "Let me wet myself…"

"No," Ellis said, swallowing and grasping onto the pillows above his head tighter. "I asked for it, keep goin'."

"I don't want you to keep crying." Nick nearly pleaded.

"Jus'…make love to me, Nick. Please?" Now the whining started. Nick could feel more tears fall on and around his thumbs as he held Ellis's face in his hands. He hated it even more when Ellis would go down that route. "Please, Nick?"

Nick made the decision to pull out, which nearly sent Ellis into a tizzy. He spit into his hands and wetted himself down before shoving himself back into Ellis, who moaned very loudly until he covered his mouth. Nick proceeded to make love to his young partner, going slowly at first then gradually picking up speed. Ellis moaned with pleasure and delight behind his hand, which encouraged Nick to do the same. Then, with surprising strength, Nick hoisted Ellis up on top of him—making love to him in his arms. Ellis held onto him tightly as Nick pounded away, feeling the young man's cock rub against his abdomen. Eventually Ellis rested back on his elbows as Nick continued—until he grabbed onto Ellis's cock and stroked him at the same time he was thrusting into him.

Ellis repeated Nick's name over and over again in pleasure, which pleased the older man to no ends. He knew Ellis was close since Nick could feel him become more rigid in his hand. "I'm almost there, Nick." He breathed. Nick's thrusting increased in an effort to catch up to him—

—suddenly Ellis threw his head back and lost all control as he released into Nick's hand, holding back his final moan. Nick quickly moved back on top of him and kissed him hard, moaning into his mouth as Nick released into him, filling him up. Ellis allowed his own moan to mix with Nick's in an effort to finally voice it.

Breathless, Nick broke the kiss and stroked Ellis's cheek with his clean hand, wiping his other one on a spare blanket that he knew he wouldn't be using any time soon. "I love you," he whispered in Nick's ear, breathless.

Nick smiled. He hadn't lost his touch at pleasing the one he loved most. "I love you more, kiddo."

"Kiss me again."

Nick did, his tongue slipping into Ellis's mouth. With a final shudder of pleasure, Nick pulled out of Ellis.

They cleaned themselves off after a few minutes in the bathroom—thankfully without waking the other residents of the safe room—and Nick went to go sleep back in his room, thinking that Ellis was to retreat back to his when he noticed the young man followed him.

"Ellis," Nick softly said, turning to him. "You should go to bed."

Ellis just stood where he was, rubbing his hands together. He looked at the ground as if ashamed of what they just did. "Can't I…sleep in here t'night? With you?"

Nick opened his mouth to protest, then closed it. He never really thought about why Ellis wouldn't be able to sleep with him in the first place. Normally, when the group would find a safe room they wouldn't all sleep together, even if they found a place with multiple bedrooms—or a couch that had a fold-out bed inside. Nick and Ellis would sleep separately from each other if that was the case, but in this instance, both bedrooms were connected. No, Nick didn't see a reason why the kid shouldn't be with him tonight. He snuck into his room to be with his partner in the first place, only to now have Nick tell him to turn back after they just made love?

It wasn't a good excuse.

Nick held out his hand and after a moment, Ellis took it. "Bedtime, then."

He led him back to the bed, where Ellis like before, cuddled up close to his lover and fell asleep nearly immediately. Nick held onto him the rest of the night as they laid there together, naked.

It was the thin moments of peace that Nick survived each day for.

He was sure it was the same for Ellis.


End file.
